Harder Than You Know
by The Neverwalker
Summary: So Random's being canceledm Chad's surprise for Sonny goes all wrong, and a death occurs that affects Sonny into a deep depression. Can her friends get her through it?
1. Cancel

C H A P T E R O N E

_Cancel…_

The news of _So Random_'s series finale was still sinking in for Sonny. She had only been on the show for a year… and now it was over… over. She'd maybe never get to see Tawni, Zora, Nico or Grady ever again… Tawni and her had just sparkled a great friendship and Zora had just recently started to trust her. Well, she was exaggerating, maybe, but she wouldn't see them much… barely.

Sonny was lying down on the couch of the prop room. Zora had her scercaufigus [I bet I'm way off on the spelling there O.O] open and she was just moping in it. Tawni didn't even look at herself once in a mirror, and Nico and Grady were just quietly pacing back and forth.

"Will you guys just _stop it?!_" Zora yelled.

"What else can we do? The show is canceled and we're pretty much all going home." Nico said. "So… whatever."

Grady cried and hugged Nico. "YER THE BEST, MAN!" Nico looked around and saw Tawni's eyes bulging out.

"I'ma miss ya too, man." Nico patted Grady's head and stepped back from his hug.

A knock on the door startled them all, and Sonny stood up, fixed her clothes and opened it.

"Eww," She said in a flat monotone. "What're you doing here? Rubbing it in our faces that our show's been canceled and yours is still on the number one chart of _Tween Weekly _Magazine?" Chad smirked at her and revealed his hands which were tied behind his back. Four small presents sat on his palms.

"It's just a goodbye present. Jeesh. No wonder I got you nothing." He walked in and looked at the presents. "Grady…" He handed one to him. "Nico… Tawni… uh… Zora… yah." Zora glared up at him, ran from her coffin, looked at the present, and shot him the I'm-Watching-You glare. Chad mouthed "ok…" to himself and heard Tawni the first to squeal.

"Aww!" She said. "This is so nice!" She smiled up at him. "A makeup kit and mirror!" She stood up. "I really wouldn't do this if I weren't dying, but this is kinda close." She walked up to Chad and hugged him quickly. "Hey! You smell good."

Chad stared. "Uh… thanks? I shower…"

"Good boy!" Tawni smiled again and sat down on the couch. Sonny rolled her eyes and sat down next to Tawni. They began talking softly about his present.

"Hmm… this isn't half bad… I can use this." Zora held up a wooden stake. "Vampires go out at night." She said in a creepy voice and she shut the door of her little sleeping area. Nico and Grady both yelled happily and gaped at Chad.

"The newest iPod made? Holding over a millions songs, son!" Nico smiled.

"Fifteen gigabytes… holy cow!" Grady looked at Chad as if he were a God. "I knew I always liked you."

"You never did," Chad said, smirking again.

"I know I didn't," Sonny said instead. Chad's smirk faded quickly and he jumped over the couch, sitting next to her. Sonny glowered at him and shook her head.

"No, don't worry, jeez. I did get you something but I'm not gunna give it to you yet! It's… Chadtastic." He smiled at himself, loosening his coat and gazing up at the ceiling. Zora opened the door and yelled "LOSER!", then closed it quickly again. Chad ignored her and looked at Sonny. "I'll come by here at eight, a'ight? Cool." He didn't even care for her answer, and took off.

"Hate him," Sonny said, looking at Tawni. "Hate him a lot."

"I LOVE HIM! Look!" Tawni put on mascara and looked at herself in the mirror. "I'm happy! And I'm pretty!"

Sonny closed her eyes. "Mhm," _What does he want?_


	2. The First Surprise

C H A P T E R T W O

_The First Surprise_

Sonny just put on her most casual clothes: Dark blue skinny jeans, cute, brightly colored hightops and a really cute top that, well, topped it all off. Only meeting Chad when she was sixteen, and now she was seventeen, he didn't change to her, but whatever his surprise is was just a bit strange…

_Whatevs._ She thought.

"Ooh… uh… when did you get those clothes?" Tawni stared down at Sonny and grimaced. "They're actually… cute… so cute that even _I_ would wear them. Yeah! I would wear that outfit! Can ya believe it?!" Sonny rolled her eyes and smiled, knowing Tawni was somewhat trying to compliment her without saying something mean. She was definitely getting a little better at it, though.

The now tanned brunette smiled. "Really? That's so nice of you to say!" **[A/N: Y'all know how Demi looks a bit different now? Like she looks tanner and her hair's kinda darker? Yeah that's how Sonny looks like now since it's like One Year Later and all xD (that was incase anyone got confused on why I said she was tan )]**

Tawni smiled, jumped up and clapped her hands. "OOH! I'M GETTING SO GOOD AT THIS NICE THING!" She pouted suddenly, crossing her arms across her chest. "But who's guna be my How-To-Be-A-Nice-Person-Slash-Friend tutor?"

Sonny thought of this. "Uh… well… mmm…" She shrugged as well. "I guess we can still hang out even if the show is heading to the graveyard." Tawni let out an "eww!" escape her mouth. "Don't worry. I'ma give you all my home number in Wisconsin."

"'Kay…" Tawni whispered in a sad, three-year-old mocking tone.

Nico and Grady hugged Sonny out of nowhere, accidently picking her up. Sonny's eyes widened and she pat their heads. "Ok… yeah. That's very nice. I'll miss you all too but we don't leave yet… We still have today, tomorrow and… oh." Her face fell and a knock on the door made her face fall even more.

"Ready, Munroe?" Chad's voice said from behind the door.

"Yeah, whatever." Sonny skipped up to the door and opened it. Chad was wearing different clothes, not the usual _Mackenzie Falls_ uniform. He was actually wearing a black band t-shirt of "Escape the Fate" and one of the usually skinny jeans he would wear. "Ok, let's go. See ya, Randoms." Sonny scowled and waved by to her friends before following him out of the studio and into Chad's convertible.

"Hah, ok. I'm not tellin' yah where we're going. Surprise numero uno of the best present ever… music??" He pulled out his iPod and put it at full volume, plugging it into the car and "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey started playing. Sonny wasn't big on eighties music, but she liked this song and started humming to it as Chad started driving off. He looked at her once they reached the first red light and smirked. "I don't mind if you sing… unless you sing badly, then I do."

Sonny smirked. "Okey, then." She did start singing and he didn't complain the whole, long ride to what Sonny called in her head the Who-Knows-Where-I'm-Going place.

They parked quickly after about an hour of driving and they got out of the car. Sonny looked around at a building she didn't really know. Chad poked around in his pockets and took out what Sonny thought were two bookmarks.

"Is this like a bookclub?" She asked.

"Heh, No." He said. "It's a concert, Sonshine. Notice my awesome shirt, which I know is your favorite band, too."

Sonny's eyes widened. "E-T-F Concert?"

"Mhm, backstage passes too… because it's pretty much our last day and all so I wanna be nice to you. It's a weird feeling… kinda tingly, then I asked myself if I should stop, but then Portlyn said 'No, this is how you're supposed to feel when you do something nice for someone.' So I just went along with it." He handed her a ticket and backstage pass and they both ran inside, handed their tickets in and landed themselves in the front.

------------------

"Ohmygod, Ohmygod, Ohmygod, Ohmygod—"

"I'm just guna ask when you're guna stop freakin' out, Sonny." Chad asked and Sonny pretended to faint, and he caught her quickly. Chad sighed. "We haven't even met them, yet."

"Sorry. I'm just so stoked."

"Yeah, bet ya are. But you're famous, I'm famous, they're famous, we're like celebrities once removed so you shouldn't freak out. Jeez. If you do it again, I'm gonna have to say I don't know you." Sonny didn't know if he was joking or not, since he always had that sarcastic tone to his voice but she shrugged it off and they passed any fraud backstage pass inspection and entered.

"It's… It's M-M-M-Ma—"

"Max, Sonny." Chad said and sighed, rolling his blue eyes.

Max looked up at her and smiled. "Hey,"

"Hi," she breathed out and saw Craig coming out from the side with Robert and Bryan. Sonny's eyes could have ran down her eye sockets if they wanted to. "Oh my… it's—"

"Craig, Sonny. Robert, Bryan, also known as Monte Money but you know I'm just saving the intros just in case you do this again."

"Hello," She said to Craig, Robert and Bryan. "I'd ask for your autograph… or a picture, but I didn't even know I was gunna come here because this idiot thought it'd be great to not tell me." She looked at Robert. "Can I hug you?" Robert smirked and nodded.

"I'm prepared, jeesh. I got a camera." Chad took out a camera from his other pocket and Sonny smiled. They all took six pictures, individually with Sonny and one all together with Chad, then Chad and Bryan. Sonny tried playing the bass but she didn't really know how, so Max gave her one or two mini lessons, and Craig dared her to sing a bit of "Harder Than You Know". Robert and Bryan let Chad play the drums and guitar and after a while, they became good friends and ended up giving out their numbers, and they bade them goodbye.

"Aww, they're nice," Sonny said, smiling. "I love Craig and Max." She squealed, getting in the car.

"Everyone does… but, hey, look at me." Sonny sighed, remembering that he was a jerk and knew when to ruin a good time.

"Well, I was gunna thank you… but, naw, I don't think I'm gunna…" Sonny smiled.

Chad looked around at nothing in particular as the car revved up. "You technically just did." Sonny looked up and shook her head at herself. Chad smirked softly and Sonny punched him in the arm. "Ow," He said in a flat tone.

"Thanks," She said.

"Uh huh, right, sure," He answered smiled at her. "Second surprise."

"I'm scared." Sonny muttered truthfully.

"Just think about how great it was that I bought you a ticket and backstage pass, ok?" He snapped and drove off again.


	3. The Unplanned Surprise

C H A P T E R T H R E E

_The Unplanned Surprise_

Driving off even more was fun to Sonny, even though her and Chad weren't saying much. She resisted the urge to ask him what the next surprise was… but she so wanted to know! _Don't ask, Don't ask._ But… maybe just to push his buttons?

"What's the next 'surprise'?" She asked, air quoting the word 'surprise'.

"Not telling you because it is oh so awesome and…" He glanced at her for a bit and smirked. "I love annoying the heck outta you." She rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile.

They drove a bit more, and Sonny checked her watch. It was eleven o'clock PM. _This is gonna be a long night_. The streetlight was yellow, and she heard Chad muttering under his breath "Keep going, car, keep going, beat the light, beat the light!" But the SUV in front of them stopped and the light turned red.

The cars from the left road could now drive off. Chad smiled. There weren't too many cars, about six, so then their green light could go off and they'd take off again.

Once the last car drove out, and there was a pretty big space from the car that was speeding to the front, their red light turned to a green and the SUV drove forward…

Chad dared not to moved. His smile faded as quickly as it appeared as he eyed the speeding car that seemed to still be racing still to cross. Sonny only just realized what was happening and both their heads turned back to the SUV and then back to the racing car that still didn't stop… and it ran right through the red light.

The SUV was thrown back out from the force of the car. Chad gasped and was in too much shock to say anything and Sonny's eyes widened too much, her mouth parted in astonishment.

"Oh my…" She whispered.

"Holy—" Chad just stared and looked at Sonny, then back at the crash. His hand reached for the car keys and he shut the car off.

"A CAR JUST SLAMMED INTO THE SUV! IN FRONT OF US!"

"Yeah, that SUV was so slow… I wish it went a bit faster." His voice shook. They heard people coming out and talking, some rushed over and a person ran past their car, shouting at his phone about the accident.

"Between Walker Street and Charlton Road…"

"Should we go see?" Sonny asked.

"Heh…" Chad's voice went a bit high. "I'm freakin' out on the inside so no."

They were close to a local hospital, so it was really no doubt how fast it came. People ran to where the SUV was and they couldn't see exactly what was happening, but Sonny screamed when a woman emerged unconscious on a stretch bed from behind the SUV, a man also on another stretch bed. Sonny jumped out of the car without even opening the door and ran as fast as her feet would take her over to those who carried the man and woman.

"Doctor…uh… No!" Her voice was completely panicky, and something hot and uncomfortable ran down her throat. "I know them… they—what?" Tears formed behind her eyes and they flooded out. Arms hugged her from behind but she seemed to not notice.

"Sonny…?" Chad asked.

"The doors of the back of the ambulance opened and she ran in, pushing Chad's arms from her waist, and entering in along with the doctors.

"Clear…" Her mother's chest rose up. She still seemed asleep. _She's only fainted… hurt… head… Dad too… nothing happened. They'll be fine. They're just unconscious. They'll wake up._

"Clear…" Her dad's chest rose up as well. Nothing happened or changed. Both doctors tried again. Nothing happened or changed. One more time… third time's the charm, right?

The flat beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep sound rung like a deaf echo, not to mention it was _two _flat lines.

Dead lines.

Dead.

Sonny sat in between their beds and covered her mouth as she sobbed heavily. Her head began to ache and there was a gaping hole in her chest that had nothing to do with the car crashing against the SUV anymore.

--------------

"You can… uh… I have an extra bed in my room… or would you rather… sleep in the guest room, but it's really small compared to the other rooms." Chad's voice was monotone. His mansipn was like any old rich guy's mansion. Big, clean and expensive. Sonny's eyes were puffed and red. She shrugged and he led her upstairs and down a long hall into a room.

"Thanks…" She said in barely a whisper and stood in the middle of his room. A TV, two queen beds, a desk, many books and a closet. Nothing more. She ran up to the closest bed and silently cried on it.

"Th—Nah. It's cool." Chad sighed. "Be right back, alright… uh… do you want me to get you anything?" When Sonny didn't answer he jumped up on the bed and looked at her. "I'd usually laugh or whatever but I'd be barking mad. Anything, ok?" She nodded and he got off, walking down the hall and knocked on the door.

"Hmm?" A tired voice yawned.

"Skylar, open up." He answered.

The door opened, an older version of Chad appeared and he looked down at him. "What'd you do this time, bro?"

"Haha, funny. You're usually the one that comes to me when you go off and drink yoohoo." Skylar shrugged. "No, ok? I brought a girl home—"

"Alright, about time."

"No, idiot." Chad lowered his voice. "It's Sonny, one of the Randoms I actually think is closest to decent. I was off to go drive her out to a late restaurant to just eat awesome food but a drunk driver—yeah, it's not you—drove through a red light and crashed the SUV in front of us… turns out it was her mom and dad in there… they died."

Skylar's eyes furrowed. "Aww, man… but… really? That—"

"Blows. And… obviously mom and dad can't know there's a girl in the house."

"Duh," He answered. "So you need my help?"

Chad smiled sarcastically. "I always liked you. Now… it would be really nice if you just checked around once in a while." Skylar nodded. "'Kay. Sorry I woke ya, but thanks."

"No problem."

"Night," and Skylar closed the door. Chad ran down the stairs and down the living room, through the portrait hallway and through the long dining room, finally reaching the kitchen. He reached into the fridge and smiled, taking out a New York Style Cheese Cake, and taking out a slice of it. He grabbed a plate, fork, and napkin and put the slice on the plate. He silently place the cake back in, turning it so the open part from where he took the slice out from wasn't noticeable, and he tiptoed back upstairs and back into his room.

"Sonshine…"

"Mmm…" She moaned.

"I got ya cake… It's really good…" He stuck a finger on it and licked the whipped cream. "Yeah, it is." She sat up and took a deep breath before taking it. She ate slowly but still ate and finished up in less than five minutes. "You can leave it on my nightstand."

"Oh… your night… so… ooh. I'm on your bed… I'm sorry!"

"Nah, it's fine."

"My life sucks. I have no where to go now…" She sat straight up. "I have nowhere to go! Oh my god my life _does_ suck… I'm an orphan now, aren't I?" Her hand went to her forehead as if she were trying to answer a very difficult question and was falling from not knowing it.

Chad said nothing.

"I hate my life." She whispered and fell back down on the bed.

"No, don't say that. Stuff happens that you don't plan on happening… and… if you ever need me, I'll help, really." Sonny looked up at him. Was he still standing there? Yes, he was.

"Why're you being so nice to me?" She asked.

The question struck him hard. He didn't really know… why _was_ he being nice to her? He shrugged, thinking about the truest answer at the moment.

"'Cuz I care."

Sonny sighed and muttered something about being tired, and Chad turned the light off and walked to the other bed.

"Night," He said.

"Yeah, night."


	4. Sucide and Manhunt

C H A P T E R F O U R

_Suicide and Manhunt_

Sonny woke, and she yawned, stretched and sat up. She found the surroundings around her strange and wondered briefly why she was not in her room, why her mom wasn't coming up to wake her up instead of being naturally awake. If she naturally woke, she might be late for breakfast and might miss the chance to read the Sunday comics from Dad's newspaper…

The events of the night passed flowed into her head and started to replay like a broken film strip. She looked back on the bed next to hers and saw it neatly made. _Oh… I'm in Chad's home. _She sighed and looked at the mirror he obviously had hanging on the wall. Sonny went up to it, seeing that her hair was a bit messed up and that she just looked too beddy.

"Whatever," She said and the door opened. Sonny jumped back from the mirror out of shock and sighed in relief. "Oh, hey, Chad. Don't scare me, ok?"

"What? Oh, no. I'm not Chad." The stranger looked out of the room both ways and issued Chad inside. "This is Chad. I'm Skylar, his brother, not his twin, and I brought you your breakfast. Pancakes. I made them."

"Hah, funny," Chad said in his sarcastic tone. "You can't make cereal to save your life." He looked at Sonny. "_I_ made them." He snatched the plate from his brother's hands and gave them to Sonny. "And… it'd be fantastic if you didn't leave this room, like, ever."

"Hum?" Sonny asked after a bite. "These are great, by the way."

"'Course they are," Chad said. "But yeah. Stay here, don't go anywhere. Call me if you need to go to the bathroom, ok?"

"That's weird, though…" Sonny scrunched up her eyebrows. "What's this about, anyways?" Chad and Skylar looked at each other, their worried expressions mirroring one another's and when Chad spoke, it was in a very low whisper.

"Sneaking you in the house was the most risky thing I've ever done. Skylar's done it a gazillion times so I had to ask for help. Just please don't ask why, it just is, alright? God." Sonny blinked and set the pancakes down, now already more than halfway done and tears started silently streaming down her cheeks again. Chad hugged her and Skylar sighed, walking out of the room and shutting the door.

It took a while of comforting words from Chad (which he found very difficult to issue out through his mouth) and many gulps of tea that he had to run down the get for Sonny to stop crying, though her eyes were red and puffy, her cheeks flushed and shiny. They sat in the corner, him looking straight out at nothing in particular, and her looking at her empty tea cup and she said, "Where am I going to live?"

Chad's eyes widened at this question. Her mother and father were most likely driving to collect her to go to Wisconsin, he supposed, but without them, she couldn't go home, pay all those bills and such… it was simply impossible… and obviously he couldn't stay in his house… it would be unhealthy for him.

"I don't know," He whispered, his voice husky and full of an upset and honest emotion he couldn't really get.

"Can't believe what happened…"

"I know…"

"Maybe Tawni would let me stay for a bit…" Sonny said, wiping her eyes again and pulling her phone out, but then just stared at it. "Wow, I am _really_ tired…" She shut her eyes and yawned.

"You can sleep again, I guess."

"Ok…"

"Call me when you wake up."

"I still don't get why—"

"OH WILL YOU JUST CALL?" Chad yelled and Sonny cringed at his voice. "I AM TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF YOU AND YOU'RE STILL ASKING WHY YOU HAVE TO CALL ME WHEN YOU WAKE UP! IT'S SO I KNOW WHEN YOU WAKE AND I CAN BE IN THE SAME ROOM AS YOU. MY MOM AND DAD CAN'T KNOW YOU'RE HERE, GOT IT?"

Sonny stared at him. "Or I can just go and live on the streets. Won't be a big deal. Last night you were kinda nice but, hey, Chad Dylan Cooper isn't nice. You didn't have to yell, ok? I'll go." She fought tears again and stood up. "I'll just go… to Tawni's even though I didn't tell her. I know where she lives, anyway. Bye." She headed for the door and Chad quickly ran to beat her.

"Will you wait?" He opened the door a crack and nodded. "Ok, just wait…" he heard footsteps running up the stairs and Skylar came. Chad whispered "She wants to go!" at him and he nodded. Chad looked at Sonny. "Tiptoe and be quiet. You _Randoms_ are never quiet so if you actually are, I'll be insanely impressed." Sonny kicked him in the shins and Chad bent down, resisting the urge to yell out but he stood again, and walked forward quietly. He beckoned Sonny over, and she went as quiet as he did. Skylar slid down the railings of the stairs without a sound, as did Chad and Sonny stared.

"I'm not doing that." Sonny said.

Chad and Skylar stared up at her.

"Did you say something, Skylar?" A woman's voice echoed from the kitchen. Chad glared at Sonny and looked down at the kitchen.

"I said I'm not playing…" he looked around and saw the guitar hero game near the living room TV. "guitar hero right now."

"Are you still going through puberty?" she asked.

"Mom, I'm twenty. You're kidding, right?"

"Just, come down!" Chad whispered up at her.

"No!" She whispered back, but it was a loud whisper, and Chad threw his hands up in the air again.

"Chad's just being annoying mom…" Skylar walked forward into the kitchen. "Mmm… turkey? It's not Thanksgiving…"

Chad ran up the stairs as quickly as he could and took Sonny's hand. "Ok, when I step, you step at the _exact same time_ as I do, so mom doesn't think there are two people coming down the stairs. Can you at least do that?"

"Yeah," Sonny said, and Chad lifted his foot up, and she did as well. Both feet stepped down at the same time. It took a bit to get down but it worked. "The floor…" They stepped together again and Chad motioned Sonny to the door quietly.

"I'm going out, mom. Portlyn and I are rehearsing for the next episode." Chad lied, and as he said this, the door kept opening, and Sonny ran out. "Bye, love you." He shut the door behind him and Chad sighed.

Sonny stopped once they reached the end of the block in a deathly silence. "Nice, Chad. How're you going to go back home?"

"Hah, oh, you thought you were going alone. No. Tawni's is close by, and I don't want you in danger…" His voice trailed off. "Yeah, that's it…"

They walked off again for two more streets and found Tawni's home, almost as big as Chad's with a nice pool. She was outside in it, tanning, and Sonny ran through the lawn to her backyard.

"Sonny?" Tawni asked, and took her sunglasses off. "Chad? What is this? Oh, eww! No, get out of my house, Chad!" Chad sneered at her and Sonny shook her head.

"Tawni, can I live here for a bit? Not him. He just rudely accompanied me."

"Oh, sure! I have a guest room and everything!" Tawni smiled, but it faded. "Why do you look sad?"

"Someone should read _Tween Weekly_…" Chad sang, turning around on his feet. Sonny looked at him, her face full of revulsion for him. He sighed and motioned Tawni over to him as he backed from Sonny. Sonny looked but didn't care. In fact, she didn't care for anything anymore. Her mom and dad were dead, she had no home and she was lucky for having a friend like Tawni.

_I wonder if I drown myself here… would it be enough to kill me?_

Sonny bit her lip and she looked at Chad and Tawni. Tawni looked really sad at every word coming from his mouth. Well, they'd be fine without her, right?

The brunette looked down at the pool and silently stepped in, careful to not make a sound, and went deep under water…

"and… yeah, I've never seen her so upset… eh… hah." Chad laughed but it was shaky and nervous. "Where'd Sonny go?" He looked around and Tawni did too. "SONNY!" Chad yelled.

"Look!" Tawni pointed at the water as two sandals floated up. "Those aren't mine!" Chad ran as fast as he could, and dived in, looking around for Sonny in the water. Wasn't it impossible to drown yourself? He shrugged the ugly thought out, and found her swimming around still until she covered her nose and her eyes looked panicky and bloodshot. It happened; Sonny had made the painful decision and breathed in once. Chad grabbed her as she did so and he brought her up, making sure her head was up the entire time.

"Tawni!" Cad yelled. "Grab a towel!" He yelled. Tawni fast-walked to her seat and crouched down on the first step of the shallow end and Chad took it after getting Sonny on one of the sun chairs. He covered her up with the towel and both of them looked at the unconscious Sonny.

"Please tell me you can do CPR because I can't." Tawni pleaded in a frantic tone.

Chad looked at her. "I was hoping you knew!"

"Oh!" Tawni looked around and screamed. "WELL DO SOMETHING!"

"I don't know what to do!" Chad yelled. He poked at Sonny's stomach. "Isn't it the same as choking?"

"You're an idiot!" She shook her head. "Zora… she'll know what to do!" She dialed quickly on her cell phone that was next to the sun chair and Zora answered.

"You have reached Zora; zombie and vampire slayer, lock and key master, and I come along with amazing ninja tricks. How may I help you, Tawni?"

"Sonny's unconscious. She went in the pool and well yeah…"

"Well, breathe into her mouth, I think. Then, there's the original 'Go to the doctor' thing… I'm hangin' with Nico and Grady. We'll go over there, ok?" Zora hung up and Tawni screamed again. Chad looked at her and stared.

"If you keep yelling that that, someone's guna think I did something bad to you." Chad muttered.

"SONNY'S MY BEST FRIEND! DO SOMETHING!" She had Chad by the collar of his shirt. "Or you're gunna pay."

Chad's eyes were wide with fright. "I did nothing!"

"Obviously you didn't help! WHICH IS WHY SHE TRIED TO KILL HERSELF!"

"I HELPED PLENTY!" He yelled, fuming with anger.

"OH PLEASE!" Tawni laughed. "YOU DIDN'T HELP SONNY! YOU COULD NEVER HELP SONNY! THE WAY YOU GUYS ARE? AND YOU HATE ME! SO OBVIOUSLY SHE'S IN A GREAT DEPRESSION, AND SHE DOESN'Y NEED ANY MORE CRAP FROM YOU!" Chad's face softened and he looked down at his shoes, then at Sonny.

"Tell me if she ends up living. And if she does, tell her I wanted to stay." He took off and rounded the corner, stopping there as he saw three people he knew very well; one was skipping, one was running, and one was just walking in the strange way he always did. Chad sighed and walked forward and Zora looked up at him.

"MOVE!" She yelled. "WE'RE ON A RESCUE MISSION!"

"Yeah, Chad Dylan Pooper." Chad's eyes narrowed at Grady.

"No, you know, I think you already said that one."

"Move it, will ya?" Nico said.

"I'm just taking a walk. I didn't start this convo. Sonny's dying and waitin' for you so… I'd hurry up if I were you." The three ran past him and Chad darted down the streets as fast as he could and ran to his backyard and sat down on the hammock, for the first time, he felt like crying.

"OK!" Zora said. "I have my bag right here." A small, red purse hung from her shoulder. "Don't worry, I don't need any plugs. It's battery operated." Zora pulled out what was used for Sonny's mom and dad just before they died, and she pulled out a stethoscope. She listened and sighed. "Good, she's alive… but it's very watery, if that makes any sense."

"Do you know how to work this thing?" Nico asked.

"SONNY! DON'T DIE!" Grady yelled. "OH NO! OH NO! OH NO!!!!"

"Get up, dude!" Nico yelled. He looked up at Tawni, who was pacing back and forth, biting her nails.

"Naw, this is my first time using… whatever these things are called. I know you have to click the button and say 'CLEAR!' but that's it… I guess. Who knows." Zora pressed the button and she rubbed the two together and yelled "CLEAR, BABY!" Sonny's chest rose up and she coughed a lot. Water spilled out of her mouth.

"Am I dead?" Sonny asked and she coughed again.

"No, you're safe. You're welcome, too." Zora smiled, and looked at Tawni. "You'll be getting a bill for my services." Tawni raised one blonde eyebrow at her. "Or not… I was kidding."

"I don't wanna call Chad…" Tawni muttered.

"Why would you?" Nico and Grady said at the same time.

"He told me to tell him if you ended up living… and… he said—"

"He said he hated your guts!" Zora said, jumping up and down.

"No, Zora," Tawni blinked. "He said he wanted to stay… I think I drove him off. I said really mean things to him."

Sonny looked at her. "Why did you do that?"

"Because I hate him. And he probably didn't help much."

"Help with what?" Zora, Nico and Grady stared at them both. Tawni sighed and closed her eyes. She wasn't going to go through it again. It was way too much for two days.

"Shh…" The phone was ringing…

"Yes?" Chad's voice said. It sounded dry and shaky.

"She's alive. Don't worry."

He hung up.

"THAT WAS RUDE!" She yelled and hung up too. "Hung up on me."

"I need a nap…" Sonny whispered.

Tawni nodded and hugged Sonny quickly before getting a pillow from one of the other chairs and putting it behind her head. She motioned the others inside the house and they sat in the living room. They looked at Tawni, waiting to hear what Sonny needed help with, but Tawni held out her index finger and ran outside quickly to get the mail, then ran inside again.

She sighed. It was on the cover of the magazine. She handed it to them and there was a deathly silence throughout the room.

Zora ripped the magazine from their hands and flipped through to the article, a picture of Sonny and Chad were there, and she was crying. The headline _Not So Random Death_ was in huge, red letters. Zora read out loud the first paragraph:

"'_A drunken driver ran through a red light and crashed into an SUV, killing the couple inside it; the mother and father of Sonny Munroe, and to make it worse, Sonny Munroe was in the car behind them with Chad Dylan Cooper, coming from what looked like a concert.' _HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? I'M GUNNA KILL THAT DRUNK DRIVER IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO!"

"What concert…?" Grady asked.

"No clue," Zora said. "I hate this. Poor Sonny… I feel bad."

"How…" Nico began.

"WE LEFT SONNY OUTSIDE!" Tawni yelled.

"Yes…" Nico said, making it sound like a question.

"NO! I MEAN… SHE COULD KILL HERSELF AGAIN!" The four ran outside and they ran to the backyard, and Tawni's fears rose even higher since Sonny wasn't in the chair. Nico jumped into thepool and came out quickly.

"She's not in there!" Tawni said when he came out.

"Then where?" Grady looked around and picked up a rock. "She's not under here."

"Oh, man! Of course she's not!" Nico sighed.

"Oh, great! She left her phone here!" Tawni said, picking it up. She took hers and called Chad again, but he didn't answer this time.

"I CALL GOING IN TO THE FOREST!" Zora yelled, running off into it. Nico and Grady followed, but Tawni looked down at herself and sighed. "Eww!" She sang, but ran in after them anyway.


End file.
